Job fears raised as Demon offshores tech support to India

Just a trial, insists ISP

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Demon is to outsource some of its call centre operation to India, but insists no jobs will be lost as part of the six-month trial.

The ISP says it is offshoring part of its dial-up helpdesk to concentrate more UK resources on handling its increasing number of ADSL customers. The Thus subsidiary claims more than 50,000 broadband users.

The six-month tie-up with a call centre in India begins on Monday.

Demon has already outsourced part of its customer support operation within the Thus group. The ISP is now trialling another supplier in India in a bid to enable the company to "focus more clearly on [its] growing broadband customer base".

But insiders say the move has caused concern among staff amid fears that the trial could lead to job losses.

One told The Register: "We have been assured…that no jobs will be lost 'in the foreseeable future'".

"However, the feeling is that if the six month trial is a success, what's to stop Demon moving the whole helpdesk operation to India at a later date?"

Asked to comment on fears that jobs could be lost, a spokeswoman for Demon told The Register: "No jobs will be lost as part of the trial."

She was unable to say what would happen if the trial proves successful, as she could not "predict its outcome". ®